Funnel for facilitating emptying of a liquid-filled container

Abstract

A funnel for facilitating emptying of a liquid-filled container includes a receptacle. The receptacle is configured to support the liquid-filled container in a declined position with an opening of the container at or near a lowermost point of the container. The receptacle has an outlet for liquid. The funnel also includes a container shelf, adjacent to the receptacle, configured to support the liquid-filled container in an inclined position in which the container is inclined towards the receptacle. A tipping edge between the receptacle and a top of the container shelf is adapted to act as a fulcrum for tipping the container from the inclined position to the declined position. The receptacle may be formed within an insert that is removable from a base section of the funnel. A piercing element for piercing a protective seal on the opening may protrude inwardly into the receptacle on an angle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A funnel for facilitating emptying of a liquid-filled container, the funnel comprising:
 a receptacle configured to support the liquid-filled container in a declined position with an opening of the container at or near a lowermost point of the container, the receptacle having an outlet for liquid; 
 a container shelf adjacent to the receptacle, the container shelf configured to support the liquid-filled container in an inclined position in which the container is inclined towards the receptacle; and 
 a tipping edge between the receptacle and a top of the container shelf, the tipping edge adapted to act as a fulcrum for tipping the container from the inclined position to the declined position. 
 
     
     
       2. The funnel of  claim 1  further comprising a base adapted to support the funnel as a free-standing unit regardless of whether the liquid-filled container is in the inclined position on the container shelf or in the declined position within the receptacle. 
     
     
       3. The funnel of  claim 1  further comprising a piercing element within the receptacle, the piercing element for piercing a protective seal covering an opening of the container upon sliding of the liquid-filled container, in the declined position, within the receptacle towards the outlet. 
     
     
       4. The funnel of  claim 3  wherein the receptacle is adapted to support the liquid-filled container an angle of decline and wherein the piercing element protrudes inwardly and upwardly from the outlet at a complementary angle to the angle of decline. 
     
     
       5. The funnel of  claim 4  wherein the outlet comprises a ring and a plurality of fins extending radially from the ring for spreading open the pierced protective seal. 
     
     
       6. The funnel of  claim 1  wherein the container shelf is configured to support the liquid-filled container, in the inclined position, with the opening of the container at least partially over the receptacle. 
     
     
       7. The funnel of  claim 1  wherein the container shelf is configured to support the liquid-filled container in the inclined position so that a level of liquid inside the inclined container is below the opening of the container. 
     
     
       8. The funnel of  claim 1  wherein the container shelf comprises an inclined wall and a foot at a bottom of the inclined wall. 
     
     
       9. The funnel of  claim 8  wherein a distance D between the foot and the top of the inclined wall is slightly more than one-half of a height of the container to be emptied. 
     
     
       10. The funnel of  claim 8  wherein the inclined wall is inclined approximately 30 degrees from vertical. 
     
     
       11. The funnel of  claim 8  wherein the inclined wall is flanked by container guides. 
     
     
       12. The funnel of  claim 11  wherein the container guides also flank the tipping edge. 
     
     
       13. The funnel of  claim 1  wherein the container shelf is configured to support the container in the inclined position with a center of gravity of the inclined liquid-filled container above a height of the tipping edge and on an opposite side of the tipping edge from the receptacle. 
     
     
       14. The funnel of  claim 1  wherein the tipping edge is flanked by container guides. 
     
     
       15. The funnel of  claim 1  wherein the receptacle is adapted to support the container in the declined position at an angle of decline of approximately 45 degrees. 
     
     
       16. The funnel of  claim 1  wherein the receptacle comprises a sloped wall for slidably supporting the container, in the declined position, as the container becomes seated within the receptacle. 
     
     
       17. The funnel of  claim 2  further comprising a spout in fluid communication with the outlet of the receptacle, the spout for discharging the liquid from the funnel, wherein the base is adapted for seating onto a liquid storage tank with the spout engaged with a tank opening. 
     
     
       18. The funnel of  claim 17  wherein the base is notched to accommodate a top edge of a liquid storage tank into which the liquid-filled container is to be emptied, the notch for aligning the spout with the tank opening. 
     
     
       19. The funnel of  claim 18  wherein the base is notched with multiple notches, each notch for accommodating a top edge of a different size of liquid storage tank for aligning the spout with the tank opening of the respective size of liquid storage tank. 
     
     
       20. The funnel of  claim 17  wherein the spout, the base and the container shelf comprise a first component and wherein the receptacle comprises a second component that is removable from the first component. 
     
     
       21. The funnel of  claim 20  wherein the tipping edge is formed from a top edge of the container shelf of the first component and from a portion of a lip of the second component, the portion of the lip being between the top edge of the container shelf and the receptacle when the first component is mated with the second component. 
     
     
       22. The funnel of  claim 1  wherein the liquid-filled container is an F-style container. 
     
     
       23. A funnel for facilitating emptying of a liquid-filled container into a tank, the funnel comprising:
 a receptacle configured to support the liquid-filled container in a declined position with an opening of the container at or near a lowermost point of the container, the receptacle having an outlet for liquid; 
 a container shelf adjacent to the receptacle, the container shelf configured to support the liquid-filled container in an inclined position in which the container is inclined towards the receptacle; 
 a tipping edge between the receptacle and a top of the container shelf, the tipping edge adapted to act as a fulcrum for tipping the container from the inclined position to the declined position; 
 a spout in fluid communication with the outlet of the receptacle, the spout for discharging the liquid from the funnel, the spout being adapted to engage a tank opening of the tank; and 
 a base configured for placement on a surface of the tank, 
 wherein the configuration of the base for placement on the surface of the tank and the adaptation of the spout for engagement of the tank opening collectively stabilize the funnel during use regardless of whether the liquid-filled container is in the inclined position on the container shelf or in the declined position within the receptacle. 
 
     
     
       24. A funnel for facilitating emptying of a liquid-filled container, the funnel comprising:
 an insert comprising:
 a receptacle configured to support the liquid-filled container in a declined position with an opening of the container at or near a lowermost point of the container, the receptacle having an outlet for liquid; 
 
 a base section comprising:
 a cavity for removably receiving the insert; 
 a spout at the bottom of the cavity; and 
 a container shelf adjacent to the cavity, the container shelf configured to support the liquid-filled container in an inclined position in which the container is inclined towards the cavity, 
 
 wherein, when the insert is received within the cavity:
 the outlet of the receptacle is in fluid communication with the spout; and 
 either one or both of the insert and the base section define a tipping edge between the top of the container shelf and the receptacle, the tipping edge adapted to act as a fulcrum for tipping the container from the inclined position to the declined position. 
 
 
     
     
       25. The funnel of  claim 24  wherein the insert further comprises a lip around at least a portion of the receptacle, the lip having an upper surface that is sloped downwardly towards the receptacle. 
     
     
       26. The funnel of  claim 24  wherein the insert is a first insert, wherein the receptacle of the first insert is configured to support a first type of liquid-filled container in the declined position, and further comprising a second insert having a receptacle configured to support a second type of liquid-filled container in the declined position, the cavity of the base section being configured to removably receive the second insert in the alternative to the first insert.